Customer Reviews

Eden on Their Minds: American Gardeners with Bold Visions

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Starr Ockenga's newest book is called "Eden On Their Minds," a playful reference to the title of her recent companion volume, "Earth On Her Hands." Any gardener (or wanna-be) glancing through "Eden On Their Minds" will soon be transfixed...and transported.

I don't have a garden of my own - I have to rely on New York City's parks and mid-highway "malls" for my greenery. Somehow, though, Ockenga's gorgeous book takes me from concrete-bound trees to a world of sweet-smelling, dewy expanses of Iowa grass; the world of moss-hung live oaks lining a centuries-old Louisiana lane; the world of a sage-and-lavender-smelling "gravel garden" in New York State; the world of the proud almost haughty precision of Neville Bryan's Chicago flower garden. Magical.

This is the gift book I gave my mother for Christmas, knowing she would eat up every photograph. This is just the book for those frosty mid-winter nights when you lounge in your favorite armchair, surrounded by garish, boasting seed catalogs, planning your spring. "Eden On Their Minds" is a book that invokes new life, encourages those of us with less than a green thumb, and reminds us that the Earth is struggling to amaze our humble human species, even as we pollute and destroy and ravage.

A helpful addition at the end of every chapter is a list of the plants grown in that chapter's featured garden; both common and botanical names are given, along with a brief description of the plant. An excellent index completes the book.

Starr Ockenga's latest book does amaze us. If you are not already a gardener, after reading this book you will want to be one when you grow up.

As we await the arrival of the first of the spring catalogues,three of my gardening friends and I have been purusing the contents of Starr Ockenga's wonderful new book, Eden on Their Minds, marvelling that the author has come up with a gem equal to its companion book, Earth on Her Hands. Whether we are consulting the wealth of information contained in the detailed plant lists; being transported from the cold and dark of winter by the breathtaking images of Eden that fill the book; daring through the inspiration of these visions to be more adventurous in our own gardens; or imagining a conversation with any one of the gardeners who are introduced to us so engagingly in striking black & white photographs, we agree that this book--a bargain at its retail price, not to mention the [Amazon.com] price--deserves its honored place on our horticultural library's shelves and on our laps as we meet, talk about gardening, and look forward to spring!

I just bought this book for my wife, an avid gardener, for her birthday. I had no idea if she would like it, but based on the publisher's write-up and the contents I thought she might enjoy it. Well I hit a home run! Not only did my wife love the book, but apparently she has another book by this same author. Now we are all happy, my wife loves this book and I scored some brownie points for "paying attention" to my wife's likes and needs!

I do not often write reviews, however, after reading and enjoying Star Ockenga's Eden on Their Minds, I felt compelled to write this one. Earth on Her Hands, Ms. Ockenga's previous book about older women gardeners across America, was inspirational. Now comes Eden on Their Minds - covering more American gardeners. This time they are men and women, old and young. As the subtitle suggests, these people are bold and adventuresome. They are doing unexpected things in unexpected ways. Go see the living chairs in Oregon, a stone head in a bed of bamboo in California, brick carpets in the landscape of Long Island or 10,000 tulips in the ruins of an old plantation in Louisiana. These gardeners are seen in full page black and white portraits -and they seem to speak directly to us. Dirt gardeners all, they tell us how we can do it, too. Their plant lists and instructions are invaluable. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced gardener, there is lots to learn from this book. You'll also love these people. This is a great read.

I loved Starr Ockenga's Earth On Her Hands, a wonderful book about inspirational older women gardeners across America. You can imagine my excitement when I purchased Eden on Their Minds! All of the full-page black & white portraits seemed to speak directly to me. Dirt gardeners all, each subject explains how s/he made their garden and how we can do it too. Plus, their plant lists and instructions are invaluable. Whether you are an advanced gardener, or beginner like myself, there is lots to learn here. I think this is a terrific read!

As in her earlier book, Earth on Her Hands, this book is quirky in its selection of "plantspeople". Some are not even "gardeners" but once or twice grew a lot of one type of plant. The author is clearly a photographer but hardly a gardener with any depth of knowledge or practice. No serious gardener will gain any information. While the people highlighted are more diverse and less Junior League/Garden Club types than in the earlier book, this work might be nice on the coffee table but adds nothing horticulturally and is obscenely expensive.